WITHNAIL & I (1987)

Written & Directed By: Bruce Robinson
Cinematography By: Peter Hannan
Editor: Alan Strachan

Cast: Richard E. Grant, Paul McCann, Richard Griffiths, Ralph Brown



London 1969 - two 'resting' (unemployed and unemployable) actors, Withnail and Marwood, fed up with damp, cold, piles of washing-up, mad drug dealers and psychotic Irishmen, decide to leave their squalid Camden flat for an idyllic holiday in the countryside, courtesy of Withnail's uncle Monty's country cottage. But when they get there, it rains non-stop, there's no food, and their basic survival skills turn out to be somewhat limited. Matters are not helped by the arrival of Uncle Monty, who shows an uncomfortably keen interest in Marwood...

I think this is a case of a film built up in my mind so greatly. It would never stand a chance to fulfill my expectations of it over the years. I have read and heard about this film from critics, Video Guides and Film Geeks everywhere. So I finally broke down and watched it and was left disappointed.

Now that is not to say the film is bad. Watching it I can see what people like about it. It’s small off beat and simple. Yet wittily funny a kind of proper rebellious film where the characters are people you wish you could be like or know as a friend.
There is something special about the film that makes it feel a cut above the rest. It has a comforting attitude like an old friend. It is a film where not much happens but so much happens where it gets to be ridiculously madcap

IT is presented as a timeless tale though having no cultural references. It feels dated to me.

Richard E. Grant is phenomenal and shows why he is one of my favorite british actors. He has a face of snobbery or decadence that can’t be repeated. I only wish he would work more. He’d be perfect as a villain in a Simon Pegg/Edgar Wright movie. All the more amazing is that he was able to pull off this performance never having been a drinker and never actually gotten drunk. He had his first tastes of alcohol making this film. He also unfortunately lost his child during the making of the film
Paul McCann IS hilarious in the more understated role. As the and I character him and Richard Griffiths provide the most hilarious side plot story they have great chemistry themselves that had me dying of laughter in the bedroom scenes.

Ralph Brown playing the drug dealer Danny is hilarious and sort of refreshes his role in WAYNE’S WORLD 2 which actually makes that film funnier to me now and gives a knowing comedy shout out to the film.

While i only think it is ok. I would still suggest this film as a nice rental.
The film is about 2 unemployed actors who need to get a way from it all and end up broke and hungry while staying at Withnail’s uncle’s cabin. They can’t hunt and the townspeople treat them like crap. We watch as they try to survive with plenty of booze.

Director Bruce Robinson appeared in Franco Zefferelli’s Romeo & Juliet and claims the director repeatedly tried to seduce him on that film. He used the come on’s for the ones Uncle Monty uses in the film to try to seduce Marwood

GRADE: C+